Space news and analysis from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Delta IV Blasts Off From Cape Canaveral With Secret Satellite
A Delta IV Heavy rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station tonight, carrying a classified national security satellite toward orbit.
The 23-story rocket lifted off Launch Complex 37 at 5:58 p.m., carrying a top-secret spacecraft owned by the National Reconnaissance Office, the federal agency that operates the nation's fleet of spy satellites.
Making only its third operational flight, the United Launch Alliance rocket is the nation’s most powerful unmanned space launch vehicle. A flight demonstration was flown in December 2004. Two operational missions were flown in November 2007 and January 2009.
The National Reconnaissance Office designs, builds and operates the nation’s fleet of photo and radar reconnaissance satellites as well as signals intelligence, ocean surveillance and communications relay spacecraft.
The launch was the eighth and final flight this year for United Launch Alliance, a joint venture partnership of Boeing and Lockheed Martin. It also was the 45th for the firm since it was formed in December 2006.
6 comments:
Anonymous
said...
These so-called top-secret missions should have everyone wondering what our secretive government agencies are doing? Endangering our lives? Expanding their "Patriot Act" to spy on all US citizens as well as the rest of the world? Testing some new electromagnetic technology? Have to wonder sometimes as the public is always the last to know.
Could easily see the Delta IV Heavy from Tampa. Appeared as a large, fast moving orange "star". It first appeared to move vertically and then transitioned to horizontal motion before disappearing behind some clouds.
Anonymous @6:20 PM Why don't you put that tin foil hat on yourself. I really don't see why NASA and the USAF don't look for the best times in a year to launch instead of burning so much money for scrubs and delay due to poor planning. Stop wasting so much money dammit! Stupidity has become exceedingly expensive.
What does the comment about a tin foil hat have to do with anything in the 1st comment. Some retired people might be more wary about what federal agencies & military are capable of especially after serving in the military themselves.
6 comments:
These so-called top-secret missions should have everyone wondering what our secretive government agencies are doing? Endangering our lives? Expanding their "Patriot Act" to spy on all US citizens as well as the rest of the world? Testing some new electromagnetic technology? Have to wonder sometimes as the public is always the last to know.
You need to put your tin foil hat back on...
Could easily see the Delta IV Heavy from Tampa. Appeared as a large, fast moving orange "star". It first appeared to move vertically and then transitioned to horizontal motion before disappearing behind some clouds.
Did anybody else see the flashes of light (lightning?) that were visible at about T+10? Just before it went into the clouds...
rick Steele,
Sarasota, Florida
Anonymous @6:20 PM Why don't you put that tin foil hat on yourself. I really don't see why NASA and the USAF don't look for the best times in a year to launch instead of burning so much money for scrubs and delay due to poor planning. Stop wasting so much money dammit! Stupidity has become exceedingly expensive.
What does the comment about a tin foil hat have to do with anything in the 1st comment. Some retired people might be more wary about what federal agencies & military are capable of especially after serving in the military themselves.
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